The Cuisine of the Mid-Atlantic

Chapter 2The Cuisine of the Mid-AtlanticAmerican Regional CuisineThe Mid-Atlantic StatesNew York- “The Empire State”New Jersey- “The Garden State”Pennsylvania- “The Keystone State” Delaware- “The First State” Maryland- “The Old Line State” Virginia- “Old Dominion” West Virginia- “The Mountain State”The Terroir of the RegionMild climateAbundance of river valleys Rich soilExtensive coastlineA perfect environment for the orchards and farms established by the early settlers who emigrated to American from England, Germany, the Netherlands, and other Western European countries. New York:America’s First “Melting Pot”New York’s ethnic heritage began in the 17th century.It was founded as New Amsterdam colony by the Dutch.For many immigrants, the new colony meant religious freedomNew York’s first religious refugees were French Huguenots who settled in what is now considered the Catskills.Religious persecution in the 18th century brought a wave of German immigrants who settled in the Hudson and Mohawk Valleys.Pogroms in Eastern Europe brought hundreds of thousands of Jewish people to New York City.New York:America’s First “Melting Pot”A potato famine in Ireland sent thousands of Irish people to New York in the mid-19th century These Irish laborers helped build the Erie Canal and the state’s first railroadsIn the early 20th century, Italian immigrants settled in central New York.Poles, Lithuanians, Romanians, and Russians were drawn to the industrial towns of Buffalo, Syracuse, and SchenectadyDemographic Trends in New York CityLittle Italy and ChinatownThe Italian and Chinese influences are concentrated here.Lower East SideThe traditional home of Russian, Polish, German, and Ukrainian Jews. These immigrants introduced the delicatessen to America.Harlem (North of Central Park) The culinary influences of African Americans, Caribbeans, and Puerto Ricans are seen here.QueensThis area has one of the largest foreign-born populations of any county in the United States. Originally a haven for Italians and Germans, the area now includes large numbers of people from Korea, China, South Asia, the Caribbean Islands, Africa, India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Brighton Beach, BrooklynSometimes called Little Odessa, the home to many Russian immigrants.Important Food Products in New York StateNew York State is one of the top dairy producers in the nationDairy products account for over half of the state’s total farm income, with more than 10,000 dairy farms in operation.New York farmers raise beef cattle, hogs, pigs, sheep, chickens, turkeys, and ducksMore than half of the farm-raised ducks in the country come from Suffolk County on Long Island.Apples are New York’s major fruitThere are over 3,000 apple orchards in the state.New Jersey:“ The Garden State”Rich soil and plentiful rain make this state one of the most productive farmlands in the nations. New Jersey’s official nickname derived from its having so many farms.The name dates back to its early European settlers who were so pleased with the fertile soil that they wrote letters to family in Europe, calling their new home a “garden spot.” New Jersey ranks among the top ten states in its production of: BlueberriesPeachesLettuceTomatoes ApplesManufactured Food Products: One of New Jersey’s Leading EnterprisesPopular brand-name food items made in New Jersey include:M & M candy Campbell’s soups Oreo cookiesLipton teaHeinz ketchupBudweiser beerThe Influence of the Eastern Coast on New JerseyAlong the coast, the fishing industry is very active. New Jersey, once known as the “Clam State,” is still a leading producer of clams.The catch off New Jersey’s shores also includes scallops, swordfish, tuna, squid, lobster, and flounder.Pennsylvania:“The Keystone State”PennsylvaniaKnown as the birthplace of American independence.PhiladelphiaGreek for “City of Brotherly Love.”William PennMember of the Society of Friends (Quakers)was granted the right to begin a North American colony as a Quaker province in the late 17th century. He invited Europeans seeking religious freedom to settle in his colony and many people did, beginning with the Mennonites, Amish and the Moravians. These German-speaking people soon became known as the best farmers in the region who later continued their migration west.The Pennsylvania DutchThose who remained in Pennsylvania became known as the “Pennsylvania Dutch.”They settled in and around Lancaster, where their descendants still live today.Their food is described as “plain and plenty” and includes:Homemade bread DumplingsDoughnutsChicken pot pie Hearty soups and stews PicklesPreservesRelishesFruit buttersPennsylvania Cont.The Hershey factory is the world’s biggest producer of chocolate.The world’s largest pretzel factory is located near Lancaster.Lancaster’s Central Market is the country’s oldest continuously operating farmers market.Milk is the state’s most important farm product.Apples, peaches, cherries, and grapes grow well in the region.Pennsylvania leads the nation in production of mushrooms.Kennett Square houses the world’s largest mushroom facility.MarylandOver 40 rivers feed into the Chesapeake Bay, known as the “great shellfish bay,” where the mix of fresh and salt water was home to an amazing quantity and variety of seafood such as oysters and blue crabs.Oysters were found in such quantities that not only were they consumed but the shells were used for brickmaking and for lining paths. Maryland’s waters still produce more oysters than any other state, and the total commercial seafood catch drives the state’s economy.DelawareHistorically, the main occupation of Delaware citizens has been agriculture.The original settlers concentrated on growing wheat and corn, and in the early 1800s the area was known for its peach trees.Unfortunately, in the late 1800s, a disease killed more than half of those peach trees.The next agricultural milestone was laid in 1920 by Cecile Steele of Sussex County. She started raising chickens for retail sale instead of just for their eggs. Today, broiler chickens are the state’s most valuable agricultural product.Perdue Farms, in nearby Maryland, is the nation’s second largest poultry producer.Breeder Frank Perdue was known for successfully crossbreeding chickens, and for developing a special all-natural feed that combined corn and soybeans with minerals from ground oyster shells and marigold petal extract.Although the marigold petal extract does not add vitamins to the chicken’s diet, it is responsible for its distinctive yellow-gold skin color. Virginia Tobacco was the mainstay of the state, and even after the Civil War it was tobacco that kept Virginia’s economy alive for many years.Gradually, the Tidewater region became a major source of fresh fruits and vegetables for the nation. Truck farming continued because it did not require slave labor.Today, Virginia remains a major producer of potatoes, peanuts, and apples.West VirginiaScots, Irish and Germans arrived from Pennsylvania, followed by immigrants from eastern and southern Europe. West Virginia has very little flat land; growing crops is difficult.Livestock is the leading agricultural product.Broiler chickens bring the greatest income.Apples and peaches are grown in the eastern panhandle.OystersDue to different conditions in coastal areas (nutrients, salinity levels, temperature) oysters vary in taste from one location to the next.Two-thirds of the nation’s oyster harvest is of Eastern oysters.Oysters bear the name of the region where they were grown as a means of distinguishing their flavor.The Blue Point oyster is originally from Long Island Sound, but this is now a generic term for all Atlantic oysters.Other names include Chesapeake Bay, Chincoteague, Kent Island, Pine Island, St. George, and Cape Cod oysters.Harvesters try to avoid the parasites that often destroy natural beds by growing them under controlled conditions in commercial hatcheries.Safe Handling of OystersChefs in commercial restaurants should never buy oysters that do not bear the harvester’s name, address, date, and certification number. This “shell stock tag” should be kept for at least 90 days. In the event of a food-borne illness determined to be caused by eating raw oysters, inspectors will be able to use the tag to trace the origin of the harvest and take appropriate actions. The liquid in which shucked fresh oysters are packed should be clear.To test for live oysters, tap the shell; it should close.A sulfur odor indicates a dead oyster.Poultry and Egg LabelingCertified Organic: The birds are uncaged inside barns or warehouses, and are required to have outdoor access.They are fed an organic, all-vegetarian diet free of antibiotics and pesticides, as required by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Organic Program.Compliance is verified through third-party auditing.Free-Range: Uncaged inside barns or warehouses and have some degree of outdoor access.No requirements for the amount, duration or quality of outdoor access and they can engage in many natural behaviors such as nesting and foraging.There are no restrictions regarding what the birds can be fed and no third-party audits.Animal Welfare Approved: The highest animal welfare standards of any third-party auditing program The birds are cage-free and continuous outdoor perching access is required.They must be able to perform natural behaviors such as nesting, perching and dust bathing.Poultry and Egg LabelingCage-FreeHens laying eggs are uncaged inside barns or warehouses, but they generally do not have access to the outdoors.They can engage in many of their natural behaviors such as walking, nesting and spreading their wings.Free-Roaming: Also known as "free-range“, this essentially means the hens are cage-free. There is no third-party auditing.United Egg Producers Certified: The overwhelming majority of the U.S. egg industry complies with this voluntary program of the United Egg Producers.Vegetarian-Fed: These birds' feed does not contain animal byproducts. Poultry Processing: Water Immersion vs. Air ChillingAfter cleaning and inspection the USDA requires chickens to be chilled in order to inhibit the grown of microorganisms that can cause spoilage.After chickens are slaughtered, cleaned, and inspected they must be chilled before being packed or further processed.There are two methods currently used:Water ImmersionAir ChillingWater ImmersionThe most popular method in the U.S. has been to water-chill birds. Immersion in a tank of chlorinated ice-cold water is considered the fastest and most-effective way of getting the birds down to 40°F or below.Chickens typically spend 45 minutes to an hour in the chiller and are moved through it by paddles or other devices.The baths are heavily chlorinated, as required by the USDA, and each bird can absorb 2% to 12% of its weight in this water as it cools.The liquid seen when the package of a conventionally processed chicken is opened is most often drainage from the water bath.Companies are required to declare on the package the approximate level of moisture retained.Air Chilled ChickenThe Process:1. Each bird is individually chilled over the course of about three hours.2. Birds are moved into carefully monitored temperature-controlled chambers where cold air is misted on them.3. The birds move over a mile or more on tracks in these special chambers as they cool down.4. Each chicken is still sprayed inside and out with a chlorine rinse as required by the USDA.Air-chilled chickens do not absorb water as water-chilled chickens. Packaging can be labeled with the statement, ‘No water added.’ Studies show air-chilling chicken does a better job of eliminating microorganisms on raw chicken, compared to birds immersed in chlorinated ice water. Oysters with Roasted Mushroom MignetteEgg, Cucumber, and Tomato SaladChicken with Farro and ArtichokesFarro is the oldest cultivated grain in the world since it is able to grow in poor soil conditions and is naturally resistant to fungus.Farro is a distinct cousin of modern wheat and is very similar in texture and taste to spelt and looks like a plump barley grain. Most recipes call for farro to be soaked overnight to soften the hull, removes any debris and make the final product a little more tender.Farro can be interchanged in recipes calling for barley, spelt and quinoa.Steamed Brook TroutTarragon Sauce, Red Beets and Pea PureeBrook trout are the only trout native to much of the eastern United States. The brook trout is the state fish for eight states: Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Virginia and West Virginia. The meat is tender, and white with a “non-fishy” taste and smell.Sautéed Soft Shell Crabs on Fennel and Arugula SaladHow To Clean Soft-Shell Crabs: With sharp scissors or a knife, snip off the “face” of the crab, from behind the eyes—this will kill the crab instantly. Flip the crab over and you will see a triangular “tail” piece folded up against the body of the crab. Unfold it and snip it off, too. Turn the crab right side up and unfold each of the sides. Remove the sandbags and gills either with your scissors or your hands. Roast Long Island Duck Breast with Parsnip Puree and Spiced Blueberry SauceAngel Food Cupcakes with Whipped Vanilla CreamAngel Food Cake A light puffy cake made without yeast or egg yolks, and leavened with beaten egg whites. Considered to be from the thrifty Pennsylvania Dutch as a sensible use of leftover egg whites.Spicy Crab Soup with Crab PuffsBuffalo Chicken WingsBuffalo Wings Originated in1964 and are a prime example of a food that incorporates many of our cultural traits. Thrift: Wings come from the part of the chicken most people throw away or use only for soups and stocksIngenuity: The preparation uses simple, at-hand materials to make a new itemEating with your hands: The satisfaction of eating with your fingers, especially when there is a flavorful sauce to lick offBraised Short RibsGinger Pound Cake with Warm CranberriesBeets, Belgian Endive, and Feta Salad